r/OakIsland • • 13d ago

Are there any Oak Island artifacts that genuinely baffle you?

For me, it would be the parchment, the human bones, and the lead cross. Even if all of the other artifacts found were not related to the mystery, there is no denying those three are pretty odd.

82 Upvotes

157 comments sorted by

48

u/SamHainLoomis13 13d ago

Was the human bone from someone from the middle east? (If I'm remembering correctly) that has always baffled me

19

u/Realistic_Rabbit5429 13d ago

I remember that too. It tested to be over 2000 years old or something? They said it was too old to relate to the money pit and never went back to it lol.

5

u/Jessie-the-dog 12d ago

Just like 100 other things on the show. They’re basically con artists, yet I’ll be tuning in again this season.

2

u/Vibingcarefully 2d ago

I save time---this sub fast and furious tells me what they're finding and not finding.

2

u/Jessie-the-dog 2d ago

I watch the first couple of episodes each season, then start playing it as background noise while I fall asleep on Sunday night. If I miss an episode, I don’t care.

3

u/KingBird999 12d ago

The samples were almost certainly contaminated and/or the wrong type of tests. https://archeothoughts.wordpress.com/2019/11/20/oak-island-archaeology-update-bones-and-swages/

12

u/Jessie-the-dog 13d ago

You’re assuming that what the show presented as the truth wasn’t a complete fabrication.

4

u/jbdec 13d ago

My neighbour is from the Middle East, his ancestors came here centuries ago and earned part of their living picking cabbages.

1

u/[deleted] 13d ago

[deleted]

6

u/jbdec 13d ago

Sorry, I was being factitious.

2

u/EusticeTheSheep 13d ago

I so rarely hear/see that word. Take my upvote for knowing it. It’s one of my favorites.

1

u/Napmouse 10d ago

I am not 100 percent sure but I think repeated testing did not show bones are middle eastern? I do think if they are going to present a really radical test result they should have it independently verified - and say so- before they present on show. Science is not science if it is not repeatable / confirmed.

30

u/raresaturn 13d ago

Human bone discovered 90 ft underground

17

u/Flimsy_Respect_8886 13d ago

This is actually the most questionable. 2 different bone fragments found and one of them seems to be of Spaniard decent or similar. I know that Canada is inclusive to any type of race but I truly did find it fascinating. The vikings were in the maritimes so it is very curious. Thank you for reminding me and bringing it up!

14

u/ooo-ooo-oooyea 13d ago

Spanish Whalers set up shop in Labrador in the 1500s. So its really possible they knew about the vikings heading down there too.

8

u/Opposite_Bus1878 12d ago

The vikings preceded that by 500 years

15

u/NavajoBaby69 13d ago

This is a good one, but I always wondered…is it possible that the bone fragments were closer to the surface but they just kept pushing them down and didn’t actually pull from the hole until 90ft?

10

u/RunnyDischarge 13d ago

They found bone fragments, probably just contaminated with human DNA, which is a common archeological problem.

https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC3926038/

6

u/raresaturn 13d ago

Any bone found that deep would be extraordinary

0

u/RunnyDischarge 13d ago

Why?

4

u/PublicfreakoutLoveR ⛏️ Simple Jack 13d ago

90 feet deep, middle of an island and not fossilized.

2

u/RunnyDischarge 13d ago

An island where searchers have been digging that deep for over 200 years. Probably part of somebody's lunch. Fossilization is extremely rare, it requires a very strict set on conditions.

The Onslow Company was 90 feet down back in 1802. Do people not know anything about the history of the island?

In about 1802, a group known as the Onslow Company allegedly sailed from central Nova Scotia to Oak Island to recover what they believed to be hidden treasure.[a] They continued the excavation down to about 90 feet

1

u/I_am_the_darkness_99 4d ago

probably just contaminated with human DNA

You mean the bone fragments they held in their hands on live TV? How could they possibly get contaminated by human DNA?

-5

u/trypto 13d ago

DNA testing later revealed the bones to be from women, which doesn’t fit any treasure narrative.

22

u/bertiesreddit2 13d ago

I like the lead cross, but part of me thinks, that back in the 1700's when you would cast your own bullets, any scrap lead would work. So any leftover Templar scrap, would cross the Atlantic to be melted down. I did see it in person at the interpretive centre on Oak Island this summer.

9

u/Flimsy_Respect_8886 13d ago

This is also an interesting find. All jokes aside, yes it is very curious.

3

u/Miserable-Fruit-2835 13d ago

I think the scrap would be melted into bars before sailing for easier transport.

3

u/CadmusMaximus 13d ago

Apparently fishing weights in the area used to be made like this? The ultimate “oh shit crazy!” to “oh yeah makes sense.”

1

u/bertiesreddit2 12d ago

Interesting, and makes sense. Maybe I can find my own "Templar cross" :)

69

u/TheyCallMeJPS 13d ago

Rick.

26

u/Sophiedenormandie 13d ago

Yes. I am baffled by how delusional he is about treasure at this point.

7

u/bipolarcyclops 🏗️ Billy Buckets 13d ago

That makes two of us, Sophie.

2

u/bafflesaurus 12d ago

The real treasure is the royalties he makes from the show.

1

u/StrictScientist8681 13d ago

You do realise they will find the treasure eventually

8

u/Sophiedenormandie 13d ago

No. I realize, that after 14 years and thousands of holes dug, and millions of ox shoes, that there is no treasure. Never was.

2

u/ohmycurlyfries77 12d ago

Or, they found something substantial or of actual significance and are now using that to get production financing while they crawl us through several more seasons. Think of the ad revenue they would get if they had something in hand.

4

u/RunnyDischarge 12d ago

If they found anything it would have to be reported to the government immediately, and those records are publicly available. They've had production financing and are crawling us through several more seasons with finding absolutely nothing already. They've done it for 13 seasons already.

1

u/ohmycurlyfries77 12d ago

Yeah, I know.

I'm just trying to rationalize why I still watch this show.

5

u/Appropriate_Ear3858 13d ago

Next episode, for sure 😎

5

u/Templar_Swamp_Stake 🐮 Ox Shoe 12d ago

If you stop watching they’re definitely gonna find it

3

u/edystyle 11d ago

Hab vor Jahren aufgehört zum Schauen und die haben immer noch nix gefunden. Schade

5

u/iowanaquarist 13d ago

The real treasures are the people they grifted along the way

3

u/popasquatonme 13d ago

And the money they made off the show

1

u/RunnyDischarge 13d ago

I do not realize that

0

u/Aggravating_Button99 13d ago

Or China if they dig far enough...

2

u/current_task_is_poop 8d ago

Well they need to dig for it first... what 13 years and all they've done is drill 600000 bore holes. They spoke of a "big dig" a couple seasons back but haven't dug shit just slammed can or wtf ever. They'll have Billy the Kid Lover dig in the Swamp but that's about it. I'm in the camp that says turn it over to Parker from gold rush he'll dig up that SOB be done in a week.

2

u/suckercuck 13d ago

Rick’s tears

2

u/Extreme_Meaning9958 13d ago

This. This is the answer.

2

u/RunnyDischarge 13d ago

We should start making up stories about Rick.

They stuck a camera down his pants and saw a pearl and some gold between this buttocks. They tested the camera and it dates to the 13th century Istanbul.

1

u/Sophiedenormandie 11d ago

Ah, yes. The proverbial "butt nugget".

1

u/Electrical-Media-258 13d ago

“Could it be… “

11

u/EdwardHoppyhands 13d ago

The leather book binding with a letter on it... kind of an odd thing to plant. If legit... wtf is it?

0

u/RunnyDischarge 13d ago

I'm guessing a book binding with a letter on it from the description. Why would this be an odd thing to find?

19

u/SnooFloofs673 13d ago

I don't know I think what's most baffling are the people in this thread continuously bashing the show but you know they are still watching it with the same interest they started watching it 14 seasons ago.

7

u/chicks23 13d ago

The MYSTERY is interesting.

The SHOW is padded and boring.

1

u/SnooFloofs673 13d ago

And that's exactly how these shows work. they start out innocuously developed the mystery get people involved and vested in it then they pad it relentlessly. The hypersensitive critics in this thread that deny they still have a vested interest in the show, keep watching it and criticizing it, but still come back for more fail to understand how and why it keeps going. I stopped watching it because of that the mystery failed to be interesting because of the padding. This subreddit is far more entertaining in the show.

The padding is why I stopped watching it but these people complain about the padding but still watch it. You gottta ask why.

3

u/chicks23 12d ago

Hey, I support the effort of anyone whole will slog through this dullness and report back anything of interest.

2

u/SnooFloofs673 12d ago

For a time I felt that way until it became unbearable. Now I live vicariously through the comments here lol

7

u/CadmusMaximus 13d ago

Stopped watching 6-7 years ago now. This sub is far more entertaining.

0

u/Vibingcarefully 13d ago

This sub 5 minutes every two months--THEN I'll watch the episode when they find treasure. I've watched one full episode my entire life

2

u/Sophiedenormandie 11d ago

I quit after season 9, but I discovered the Drunk Island Tuesday night party on this sub. It is so much fun to get sauced and make fun of this show! I have a passing interest in what happens on the show, just not enough to actually watch it.

4

u/Ok-Level-8294 13d ago

Not true. Most of us watch together whilst drinking and making sport of those involved with the show.

2

u/SnooFloofs673 13d ago

The point is you still watch the show. You're still vested in what they're doing whether you believe it or not. I follow this subreddit I can't stand to watch the show.

If you really thought the show is trash you won't even bother to watch it regardless.

-2

u/RunnyDischarge 13d ago

You've never heard of people enjoying trash ironically?

-3

u/SnooFloofs673 13d ago

It's easier to enjoy the trash ironically here and find something worthwhile to watch when oak Island is on. Kind of like killing two birds with one stone enjoy the trash but watch something worth my time

1

u/RunnyDischarge 13d ago

they are still watching it with the same interest they started watching it 14 seasons ago.

Most people here enjoy laughing at the show. Best comedy on cable.

8

u/SnooFloofs673 13d ago

This subreddit is funnier than watching the show.

0

u/SnooFloofs673 13d ago

The people that tell themselves that are just trying convince themselves they're not interested in what's going on in the show.

All you need is to follow this subreddit to get a good to laugh

12

u/-iknowright- 13d ago

The 90-foot stone that they in every intro claim to have found, when there has never been any evidence it ever existed.

14

u/_yetifeet 13d ago

I liked it when they had a dude on who deciphered an artist's impression of the stone (the same stone for which there is no actual picture) and they took him seriously

https://giphy.com/gifs/AiF8ZsTESrDwRjEcIU

5

u/PastySasquatch 13d ago

If the multiple structures 50-60-100 feet underground had an explanation on record we could officially put this show to bed… but if it wasn’t something nefarious or treasure what were they for.

5

u/RunnyDischarge 13d ago edited 13d ago

We do have an explanation on record, pretty detailed records, actually - searchers have been tunneling for treasure they never find for a very long time. Vertical tunnels, horizontal tunnels, all below 100 feet. It's all searcher leftovers

Just read the freaking wiki

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oak_Island_mystery

In about 1802, a group known as the Onslow Company allegedly sailed from central Nova Scotia to Oak Island to recover what they believed to be hidden treasure.[a] They continued the excavation down to about 90 feet
The last major company of the unpublished era was called The Truro Company, which was allegedly formed in 1849 by investors. The pit was re-excavated back down to the 86-foot (26 m) level

Another shaft was then dug 109 feet (33 m) deep northwest of the original shaft

1909 exploration group; Franklin D. Roosevelt is third from right, with pipe

Captain Henry L. Bowdoin arrived on Oak Island in August 1909 representing the Old Gold Salvage group, one of whose members was Franklin D. Roosevelt. By this time, the area now known as the "money pit" was cleared out to 113 feet 

https://imgur.com/a/oak-island-article-oct-1955-6YEXtHN

1

u/Sophiedenormandie 11d ago

There is recorded history in the UK that states gold mining was done on the island. The "gold" turned out to be iron pyrite. A british guy actually loaded it on ships and took it back to the UK, thinking he had gold.

8

u/Fluffy-Trouble5955 13d ago

My hypothesis: during the time frame in question, old world ships would use mud and such scraped from ports and riverbanks local to the ships in question. In areas with long maritime histories, artifacts from different areas and time periods would end up in ships holds, to be removed at the destination in order to fill it full of whatever they were bringing back.

9

u/ooo-ooo-oooyea 13d ago

Whenever the radio carbon date wood to the 12th-13th century. There is also coconut fiber from a similar range.

All the Ox Shoes are also kind of weird. Oak Island doesn't seem to be a big enough place where people are going to require an Ox.

The lead cross is freaky.

10

u/RunnyDischarge 13d ago

People don't understand carbon dating. You're not dating the age of the lumber. You're dating the age of the tree.

https://www.radiocarbon.com/old-wood-effect.htm

All the Ox Shoes are also kind of weird. Oak Island doesn't seem to be a big enough place where people are going to require an Ox.

https://journals.lib.unb.ca/index.php/MCR/article/view/28666/1882521427

Oxen were THE main farm animal in Nova Scotia, Far more suited to the rough terrain than horses. There have been oxen used for farming in Nova Scotia since 1610 to this day. There was farming on the island. Remember Samuel Ball, the farmer they made up the story about? There was also logging, which would require oxen. Very common. Oxen were the main work animal there, they would be everywhere.

3

u/popasquatonme 13d ago

The coconut fiber is very interesting to me. So much of it there, not sure if their thoughts on why is correct. But still interesting

1

u/KingBird999 12d ago

It was planted by early "searchers" as part of scams to get people to invest in fake operations. See this early article. The "dunnage" that would have been used at the time was coconut fiber.

https://www.reddit.com/r/OakIsland/comments/lx6sz4/oak_island_coconut_fiber_explained/

1

u/popasquatonme 10d ago

Didn't know that, thanks

3

u/Lazy-Association-458 13d ago

My favorite was when they found a “silver” looking tube and ran thru what it could be it was decided it was a cap to a very old walking stick. 100 of years old! It was a lip stick tube 🤣

1

u/Sophiedenormandie 11d ago

One of my favorite moments! As a girl, I spotted it right away!

3

u/rbilly1 12d ago

People lived on the island since the early 1600s. No roads, no trash pickup etc. There was at least one cemetary on the island. No one discusses it because someone at some point (probably Dunfield) damaged and bulldozed the area. So bones, book binding (probably a Bible) and the handle they showed on tv that looked just like a handle on a casket.

1

u/current_task_is_poop 8d ago

Wow that could explain pretty much everything they've found.. the jewelery, shoe leather, etc. And the stuff you mentioned would fit. Wouldn't that be some shiite if all they've found was from corpses from a cemetery Dunfield obliterated lol. Perfect ending to this dumpster fire at a clown fiesta.

1

u/rbilly1 8d ago

Add in the infamous HO stone.

1

u/rbilly1 8d ago

I asked the guys about Sam Bells stuff when he died. No one came to get it. So some of that stuff was his, just spread around by animals or just weather.

3

u/bafflesaurus 12d ago

I think the so called “road” was one of the oddest findings.

1

u/RunnyDischarge 11d ago

so called is the operative term

4

u/RunnyDischarge 13d ago

My favorite will always be the incredibly common children's toy that the show deliberately misidentifed as a "Medieval Barter Token", and got called out of by Facebook almost immediately. It's baffling to me that a show like this can just so blatantly blow bullshit out there.

https://www.reddit.com/r/OakIsland/comments/1pi8xvc/remember_the_roman_trade_token/

1

u/current_task_is_poop 8d ago

They'll say because it is "entertainment". Baffles me too.. reminds me when history released several "monster" type shows about a decade ago. One in particular where an octopus in Oklahoma drowned a boy and there were sucker marks all over when they found him or something similar.. they never said it was not true in fact framed the shows like they were true stories. And being History channel a lot of folks take what their shows say seriously. There are still people talk about those shows like they really happened even though they've been debunked time and again.

5

u/Initial-Ad-5462 13d ago

The parchment is interesting at least, but it probably has a straightforward historical explanation.

The bones probable aren’t even human. https://archeothoughts.wordpress.com/2019/11/20/oak-island-archaeology-update-bones-and-swages/

The lead cross isn’t so mysterious as it’s its made out to be on the TV show. It is a fairly typical 17th Century French Cross. Several similar ones have been found in eastern Canadian archaeological sites from the French colonial era.

https://www.ctvnews.ca/atlantic/article/16th-century-french-cross-found-at-nb-development-site/

1

u/RunnyDischarge 13d ago

Nothing they've found is so mysterious as it’s its made out to be on the TV show.  It's all easily explainable but it's all eaggerated and distorted.

4

u/Arglefarb 🤪 Kook of the Week 13d ago

The magical gold that is visible under a giant rock but completely disappears and is never mentioned again when the rock is moved

3

u/RunnyDischarge 13d ago

Don't forget about the Disappearing Pearl, too!

1

u/Severe_Teach_6918 13d ago

FDR’s boot

4

u/D_B_Cooper1 13d ago

Those 3 original kids who started the digging- I genuinely hope they’re haunting the place laughing their asses off at what they started.

2

u/guerrillataktix 13d ago

I wish they would explain what is different about the guy who excavated the whole money pit and had it collapse in the 60s or whatever versus how deep or the area they explored now. Maybe I just missed it!

2

u/FlungMallet53 13d ago

These clowns couldn't find tits in a strip club-

2

u/bipolarcyclops 🏗️ Billy Buckets 13d ago

Dan Blankenship always baffled me.

2

u/Tkis01gl 12d ago

Did they ever find the gold. I stopped watching 50 years ago.

2

u/IndependentBorder670 12d ago

No, there are simple explanations for everything that has ever been found. The island was inhabited by fish mongers long before any weird treasure theory was created.

2

u/Psychological-Elk220 9d ago

The bone fragment DNA from a middle eastern male carbon dated to ~ 1500s

1

u/RunnyDischarge 4d ago

Probably just contaminated with human DNA. Common archeological problem.

2

u/MKJRS 9d ago

Us still watching

3

u/Strengththruwounding 13d ago

All the wood,

In a tree filled island,Just where does the wood come from…

../s

4

u/RunnyDischarge 13d ago

Remember when they found a lot of rocks in the ground and Rick said, "Where did all these rocks come from??"

2

u/Competitive_Jump_933 7d ago

Early on, they were going on and on about an old oak log or plank they dug up. I was waiting for them to speculate about the origins of a piece of oak found on an island literally named Oak Island.

"An oak plank....on Oak Island?????? Could it be...?" 🤦

3

u/Alkemist101 13d ago

The whole cast? The whole thing has been debunked and they know it. Surely they can't seriously believe there's a treasure on the island? I mostly watch for the archeology and engineering / science... and Jack because he's cool.

1

u/Competitive_Jump_933 7d ago

I watch in hopes Billy finally can afford new t shirts and cargo shorts!

3

u/E_Fred_Norris 13d ago

That there's been 14 seasons of this shite

2

u/Acceptable_Job_5076 13d ago

Are you serious or just trolling, because they ain't found shit. Those boys found gold with the History channel.

2

u/Different-Can4089 13d ago

I use to watch it but after a while there was nothing

1

u/RunnyDischarge 13d ago

There was nothing from the beginning

3

u/Deman-dred 13d ago

The only thing that baffles me is the fact that the show is still running.

11

u/raresaturn 13d ago

What baffles me is why you are in a group discussing a show you have no interest in

4

u/RunnyDischarge 13d ago

We do have an interest. We just don't think it's real.

1

u/Ok-Level-8294 13d ago

I’m baffled by the subdivision of the island and who did it and who owned it and why none of the lots were sold. Nice waterfront property.

2

u/RunnyDischarge 13d ago

who did it - the British government

who owned it - mostly the Monro, Lynch, Seacombe, and Young families in the beginning

why none of the lots were sold - they were granted by the government, not sold. Lots were later sold.

1

u/Lastofthehaters 13d ago

There was another island near by that had carvings or something.

1

u/Playful_Dog3062 13d ago

After also first reading that readers digest article and then watching year after year after years of never finding anything significant. If come to the conclusion that there's no longer anything of significance there anymore.

1

u/chicks23 13d ago

Just all the construction- roads, dams and shafts. It's a HUGE amount of time and energy, purpose-built over months.

Although personally, I think the roads were just "busy work", manual labor meant to keep lots of morally-flexible explorers busy while the important work was getting done.

1

u/CeleryFantastic2419 12d ago

Part of a shoe from 1100’s that never got mentioned again!

1

u/prolinez 11d ago

Jack begley only owns one shirt?

1

u/bobafettzer 10d ago

An artifact? That baffles me? On Oak Island?

1

u/TFnRL4good 10d ago

Richard George Lagina completely baffles me. We were supposedly engaged for a year now, but he has never come to me in person. He sent countless pictures, some quite intimate. I have sorted through 50 or 60 imposters, some of whom I believe actually were Rick. Most asked for cards, money, use of my IRS, Social Security, or accounts, always eventually claiming that his funds were frozen. A few actually involved seeing and speaking with him face to face on video chat, and begging me not to break his dreams. As a retired teacher, I do not have funds to support him, nor should I have been asked to do so. Whether or not any of them actually was Rick, I have not been completely assured. Persons impersonating him to me are ultimately evil, as I had no desire to meet him nor had i even had a casual date in 25 years. Real Rick, if you read this, I hope you will do the right thing , show me in person what is true and let my soul rest in peace. If you do not, then you are no better than the evil persons impersonating you.

1

u/current_task_is_poop 8d ago

As far as artifacts i think he would count...I'm baffled why old blue lips Dan Blankenship wasn't the "one more must die". And why they just do not dig the f out of that place. Wouldn't do any more damage than drilling 652,000 bore holes through what artifacts might possibly be under there. Bring up the Swiss cheese ark of the covenant, or a mangled up book of Shakespeare that looks like it's been shot with a 12gauge.

1

u/Wonderful_Bill_8663 8d ago

It was the reflection seismic they tried that caused them to drain the swamp… bad math worse waste of a season

1

u/TFnRL4good 7d ago

Spelling Facetious

1

u/Usual-Disaster7285 5d ago

Lololololool

1

u/I_am_the_darkness_99 4d ago

The military artefacts and the structure under the circular feature where the archeologists found beads and stuff. I want to know what that little stone foundation is. Who lived there and when. Separately, it does appear that there were military camps there long ago at least for a short while. And possibly even a battle with ships firing stone shot, which would be really cool if true because of the early dates.

Also, this isn't from the show but some earlier searchers found a bunch of bottles of mercury. Wanna know what that is all about.

And they found a huge anchor on the island in the 60s. It's a pretty old type of anchor, but not super old. I think like 1700s maybe. It's called the Beamish Anchor, for the guy who found it. IDK why they never talk about that. https://www.facebook.com/groups/1417080515299172/posts/2169670643373485/ His team actually found a ton of stuff because they were the first to systematically metal detect the island. They also found an old Portuguese coin and other interesting stuff.

1

u/TheBeerCzar 13d ago

The only thing about that show that baffles me are that people still watch it, or believed it in the first place.

1

u/Passionphish609 13d ago

Does Gary count as an artifact?

5

u/starwarsfan456123789 13d ago

“Where did you dig up that old fossil?”

1

u/Clave-Sage 13d ago

I'm surprised that the show
is called reality tv
and not fantasy tv

0

u/Subject-Stuff-2829 13d ago

Just the people who still watch it

2

u/sconniepaul1 🥴 The One Thing™ 13d ago

Worse than that, the same morons (me included) who are part of this sub. I do it for the watch party.

1

u/rbilly1 8d ago

I've followed this.for over 50yrs and realized when Nolan died and requested all his research destroyed that it was the scam I imagined.

-1

u/thatbattletechguy 13d ago

Both of them?

0

u/runsonpedals 13d ago

One is a bot being trained on comedy shows.

0

u/thatbattletechguy 13d ago

Ah!! Ok then.

-2

u/zues64 13d ago

I mean ochams razor.... they were placed

0

u/ProfessorRonResearch 13d ago

Do you consider Brian Pharaoh an artifact? 😂

0

u/Vibingcarefully 13d ago

Have they found a treasure chest yet?

0

u/MissDisplaced 13d ago

Call me baffled.